Alida Noel Provence of New York City passed away peacefully at her home on May 22, 2019. Born on December 24, 1954, Alida grew up in the Long Island towns of Bellmore and Jackson Heights, New York and is survived by her mother Adele and brother Roland Provence who live in Sarasota, Florida. Alida was an executive assistant at Chubb for the past 15 years and had a long career in the financial services industry.
Alida was a consummate professional and proud of her executive assistant and personal assistant skills and know-how serving senior executives. She worked many years in banking and experienced much change in that business— first at Manufacturers Hanover, which became Chemical Bank, which became Chase Manhattan, which became JPMorganChase. She also worked at private equity firm Spencer Trask, and then global insurer ACE Group, which acquired Chubb in 2016.
With her striking platinum blond hair and infectious smile, Alida had a zest for fashion, food and fun. A woman of many talents, she was a graduate of the Fashion Institute of Technology with a degree in Fashion Merchandising. She had a colorful, artistic flare that matched her personality. Alida took great pride her in her fashion-sense and willingly offered style advice to others, even if unsolicited – but always welcomed and appreciated. She also expressed her artistic talents through her hobby of watercolor painting.
In addition to helping family, friends and colleagues feel beautiful on the outside, her passion for the culinary arts gave great joy and comfort on the inside to many with her delicious meals. She attended the original Peter Kump Cooking School in New York, which became the Institute of Culinary Education, and accumulated an impressive range of skills and a library of cook books. When a colleague and self-professed bad cook relocated to Alida’s office in New York City, she graciously took him under her wing. Each week she prepared extra portions of her signature dishes and took great joy in making her colleague feel welcomed and full-bellied.
Alida didn’t have a large family, but treated her friends and coworkers like brothers, sisters, sons and daughters and took care of everyone and everything – from completing mundane office tasks to helping colleagues plan weddings, birthdays and baby showers. As the self-proclaimed “den mother” of her office and a true New Yorker, she reveled in helping others and could be relied upon for candid, honest guidance – again, often unsolicited, but always welcomed and appreciated.
Alida’s family, friends and colleagues are deeply saddened by her passing and will greatly miss her warmth and humor. She had a huge heart and held a strong presence in the lives of all those she touched, and her spirit will live on in our many fond memories.
A remembrance of Alida’s life will be held on Thursday, June 20 at 10 a.m. at the Walter B. Cooke Funeral Home, 352 East 87th Street, New York. In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation in Alida’s name to the American Heart Association.
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